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My Mushroom Chicken Recipe Is A Creamy One-Pan Wonder
Many of you know I’m a big fan of creamy chicken recipes — it’s one of my favorite ways to dress up a basic healthy chicken breast — and this creamy mushroom chicken is no exception. Here’s what made me fall in love with it:
- Juicy chicken with mushroom sauce – I created this recipe as a variation on my standalone creamy mushroom sauce, cooked together with the chicken this time. And beyond “just” the ultra tender chicken, the sauce takes this dish firmly into comfort food territory. It’s rich, cheesy, and velvety smooth, with major flavor from mushrooms, bacon, and a kick of Cajun spices.
- Thick and creamy without thickeners – Many chicken and mushroom recipes use cornstarch or flour to thicken the sauce, but mine is naturally thickened with parmesan cheese. Most of you know this is my favorite way to thicken a cream sauce, and it’s gluten-free!
- Made in one pan – Which means fewer dishes.
- Special, yet simple – A.k.a. my jam. This creamy mushroom chicken feels fancy enough for guests, but it’s so fast and easy that I make it all the time for regular weeknights.
If you’re a mushroom fan and in the mood for comfort food, grab a skillet and make this mushroom chicken recipe with me in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken and mushroom recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Breasts – Try to find ones of the same size, so they cook at the same rate. I’ve also made this with boneless chicken thighs, so go for it if that’s what you have.
- Mushrooms – I like cremini mushrooms (a.k.a. “baby bellas”) for mushroom chicken, but shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, or even chopped portobellos are great.
- Heavy Cream – The base of the sauce. I don’t recommend substituting any type of milk, because it won’t thicken, but coconut cream will work. When I want this sauce lighter, I replace half of the cream with chicken broth — just keep in mind it takes longer to reduce.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Adds flavor and thickens the sauce. I recommend grated rather than shredded, and fresh grated parm will melt in more smoothly than the kind from a plastic can. It’s the same trick I use for Alfredo sauce, except this one tastes totally different because of the mushrooms.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are best here (we’ll peel and crush them), but 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Fresh Thyme – 3 sprigs came out to about half a tablespoon of leaves for me, or fresh rosemary is nice, too. You can also swap in 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or rosemary.
- Bacon – Optional, but adds so much flavor! You’ll need it precooked — my oven baked bacon is the easiest hands-off method.
- Cajun Seasoning – This spice blend (think paprika, onion powder, cayenne) adds a nice kick to the creamy mushroom chicken sauce. My kids prefer this dish without it though, so you may want to skip it if you have kids or like a milder flavor.
- Olive Oil, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper
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How To Make Creamy Mushroom Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the chicken. Pat it dry with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sear until golden and cooked through. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides, then transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Cook the mushrooms. Toss them in the skillet along with the bacon (if you’re using it), garlic, thyme, and Cajun seasoning (optional). Cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and any extra moisture has evaporated.
- Simmer the sauce. Pour in the heavy cream. Let the chicken and mushroom sauce come to a simmer before moving on to the next step.
- Thicken with parmesan. Stir in the parmesan cheese, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Bring it all together. Add the chicken back to the pan, spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the top, and let it warm through. I like to serve this creamy mushroom chicken with a sprinkle of extra parmesan and fresh parsley.
My Recipe Tips
- Slice your mushrooms fresh. The pre-sliced ones tend to have less flavor, so I highly recommend slicing them yourself!
- Double the mushrooms if you love them. Multiple readers have told me they did and loved the result. I definitely see why.
- Why pat the chicken dry? This helps you get a better sear for that nice, golden crust. Don’t skip this step!
- Cook times can vary depending on your pan. I usually use a stainless steel pan like this, but cast iron or even nonstick works fine. Cast iron usually cooks faster, whereas nonstick takes longer.
- Cook your chicken to the right temperature. You want 165 degrees F for chicken breast. I actually remove it at 162-163 degrees F to keep it juicy, because it rises a few more degrees when you combine it with the sauce at the end. For chicken thighs, though, I highly recommend 170 degrees F because that’s when they get really tender. Use a meat thermometer like this to get it just right!
- Add more oil to the pan if needed. If your pan seems dry after searing the chicken, add more oil before adding the mushrooms. Sometimes I use butter for this step for extra richness.
- Adjust the heat as needed. If it’s too low, your chicken might not get golden brown, and your sauce can turn out watery if the liquid from the mushrooms doesn’t evaporate. If it’s too high, you risk burning.
- Don’t forget to deglaze the pan. That’s just a fancy term for scraping the bottom after adding the liquid. This releases browned bits from the bottom and makes your creamy mushroom chicken more flavorful.
- Don’t let the sauce boil, only simmer. You can scald the cream if it overheats.
- Stir often when heating the cream. This prevents a film from forming on top.
- Need to adjust the thickness of the sauce? You can add more parmesan to thicken more, or add an extra splash of cream if it ended up too thick, before adding the chicken to the pan. You can also simmer it very gently to reduce and thicken. I find it does thicken as it cools from hot to warm, so factor this in.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken (20-Min Recipe)
By
My creamy mushroom chicken recipe has juicy, golden chicken breasts smothered in creamy garlic parmesan mushroom sauce. Ready in 20 minutes!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 4-8 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
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Add the mushrooms, bacon (if using), garlic, thyme, and Cajun seasoning (if using) to the same skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned.
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Stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
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Stir in the parmesan cheese, until the sauce is smooth.
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Return the chicken to the skillet and cover with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until warm.
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If you like, garnish with more parmesan and/or a sprinkle of parsley.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get juicy chicken with a golden crust, adjust the thickness of your sauce to your liking, and prevent issues with flavor or texture.
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop or microwave. Avoid high heat to prevent ruining the sauce.
- Freeze: The texture of this sauce changes a little after freezing, but I think it’s still quite good and freeze it all the time. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and stir the sauce often when reheating.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Serving Ideas
This chicken and mushroom recipe gives me all the comfort food vibes, but it’s also very rich. I recommend two types of sides to go with it:
- Starchy base – To soak up all that luxurious sauce! I went with mashed potatoes above, but make mashed cauliflower and mashed sweet potatoes more often. This creamy mushroom chicken would also be wonderful over roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower rice, or your favorite pasta. My personal faves are zucchini noodles and baked spaghetti squash for lighter options.
- Lighter veggies – To balance out the richness. I like roasted green beans or roasted brussels sprouts to bring some greens to my plate, and this sauce is amazing over them. Or try one of my fresh side salads, like Caprese salad, spring mix salad, or wedge salad.
More Chicken And Mushroom Recipes
If you love the combo of juicy chicken and savory mushrooms as much as I do, I have lots more mushroom chicken recipes you can try:
45 Comments
Patrick Hargis
0This is an easy go to meal. One thing to be careful of is the salt. I usually don’t salt the chicken when I cook it. The bacon and the cajun spice have a lot of salt so add any additional salt at the end.
Kirsten
0Would half n half work? I already have it on hand.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kirsten, You can use half and half, but the sauce will be thinner, or you can add more parmesan to thicken it more.
Erica
0Super easy, fast, and delicious!!!
Janet
0Absolutely delicious, inexpensive, and just as fast as promised. Since my diabetic DH is eating low carb, but not keto, we splurged with modest helpings of fluffy mashed potatoes and a generous helping of fresh steamed green beans, and this sauce would make a terrific holiday green bean casserole. We don’t eat much bacon so it’s always a treat. I’ve cooked it in the oven for years now, and plan on leftover slices. I also save my bacon fat as it can add wonderful flavor in lots of dishes. This recipe would also taste great over those zero cal shirataki noodles which I use frequently.
Wendy
0This mushroom chicken was so good! I love how rich and creamy it is.
Brittany
0Really good dish! We used 2 cups of mushrooms and a 1/2 lb of uncured no sugar bacon and added a touch more of the homemade Cajun seasoning and we all loved it! We ate it over ancient grain rice/quinoa/lentils. It truly felt like a fancier dish than normal even though we make complicated meals regularly. 10/10
Stef
0This was so quick to make and sooooo delicious. Putting this recipe into regular rotation!
Glenda
0Creamy, savory comfort. We loved it! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.